Summary of Current Googols of Learning Programs and Initiatives

 SummaryofCurrentGoogolsofLearningProgramsandInitiatives
PBS(PositiveBehavioralSupport)
PositiveBehavioralSupport/PBS,(alsocalledPositiveBehavioralInterventionsandSupports/PBIS),
isabehaviorandguidancemodelorframeworkthathelpsuswithchildren’ssocial/emotionalskills.Someof
thekeypointstoknowarethatitisapreventionmodel;itismoreaboutteachingexpectationstothechildren
aheadoftime,beforetheymakeapoorchoiceandtheteacherhastorespond.PBSispositive,notpunitive.
Wedonotputchildrenintime‐outto‘thinkaboutwhatthey’vedone.’Researchshowsthisisnotnearlyas
effectiveasteachingappropriatebehaviorsinadvance.Whenachildmissteps,thentheyhaveadiscussion
withtheteacheraboutwhattheycouldhavedoneinstead.Frequently,childrensimplydon’tknowhowto
usewordstogetwhattheywant,don’tknowhowtocalmtheirbodieswhenangryorfrustrated,orsimply
lackbasicfriendshipskills.Ourfocusisonteachingproblem‐solving,self‐regulation,friendship,self‐help,and
conflictresolutionskills.Withtheseskillsundertheirbelts,theywillbereadytobetotallysuccessfulin
kindergarten.The3building‐wideexpectationsatGoogolsaretoBeSafe,BeRespectful,andBeaTeam
Player.Childrenwillbetaughtinanage‐appropriatewaywhattheseexpectationsmeanintheirclassroom,
commonareas,andtheplayground.
KQRIS
TheKansasQualityRatingImprovementSystem(KQRIS)isa5‐Starqualityratingsystemforchild
carecenters,preschools,HeadStartfacilities,faith‐basedpreschoolprogramsandfamilychildcarehomes.
Participatingchildcareprogramsreceiveacomprehensiveassessmentthatresultsina1‐to5‐StarQuality
Rating(5Starsisthehighestpossiblerating).KQRISlooksspecificallyattheLearningEnvironment,Family
Partnerships,TrainingandEducationofstaff,RatiosandClassSizes,andpotentialforNationalAccreditation.
KQRISparticipantsreceiveavarietyofsupportstoassistinqualityimprovementefforts.Childcareprograms
haveaccesstoaQualityImprovement(QI)Coachwhocanhelptheprogramsetandachievegoalstomake
programimprovements.InNovemberof2014Googolswasrateda4starprogram,onlymissing5starsby2
points!Thereareno5starcentersinLawrenceatthistime.
StrengtheningFamilies
TheStrengtheningFamiliesprogrambeganasawayofpreventingandreducingchildabuseand
neglectatthestateandnationallevel.ThefocusispreventionbywayofstrengtheningALLfamilies.Asa
StrengtheningFamiliesprogramweworktohelpyoubuildyour5protectivefactors.Theprotectivefactors
are,KnowledgeofChildDevelopment,ParentalResilience,ConcreteSupportsinTimesofNeed,Social
Connections,andSocial‐EmotionalCompetenceofChildren.AtGoogolswesupportyouwherewecanineach
oftheseareas.Forexample,Social‐EmotionalcompetenceofchildrenisachievedthroughourPBSprogram.
SocialconnectionsandConcretesupportsareaccomplishedthroughthesocialactivities,parties,fieldtrips,
andothereventswhereweinvitealltheparentsandguardianstoattend,gettoknoweachother,and
hopefullycreateanetworkoffriendstocallonintimesofneed.Knowledgeofchilddevelopmenthappens
eachtimeweofferaparentinformationalnight,youattendaparent/teacherconference,orcompleteanASQ
(Ages&StagesQuestionnaire).Parentalresilienceisdefinedastheprocessofmanagingstressand
RevisionDate:7/8/2015
functioningwellinaparticularcontextwhenfacedwithadversity.Resilienceislearnedthroughexposureto
challenginglifeeventsfacilitatedbysupportiverelationshipsandenvironments.Wetrytosupportyour
resiliencebysettingupopportunitiesforyoutomeetandmakefriendswithotherparentsintheprogramor
bysendingoutinformationlikestressbusterideas.
ParentLibrary‐Wehaveaparentlibrarylocatedneartheclimbingstructurejustoutsideofthe
Mendel’sMunchkinsclassroom.Youarefreetobrowsethemagazines,books,andvideosthereandcheck
themoutinthefrontoffice.Someofthebooksherewillsupportyourknowledgeoryourchild’s
social/emotionalcompetence,i.e.theyareconsideredaPBSbook.
ParentCafesandInformationalnights‐Everyquarterwewilloffer1‐2eveningeventswhere
youcanlearnsomethingaboutchilddevelopment,helpfulparentingtips,nutrition,health&wellnessand
more.Theseeventswillbeadvertisedthroughthemonthlynewsletters,byemail,andbepostedinthe
hallwayonthewall.Theseeventswillsupportyourknowledgeofchilddevelopmentandprovideyoumore
opportunitiestomakesocialconnectionswithotherfamilies.
Communication,FormalReporting,andFamilyPartnerships‐Tofurtheryourknowledgeof
childdevelopmentwealsoworkhardatcommunicatinghowyourchildisdoinghereatGoogols.Weoffer
formalparent‐teacherconferencesevery6months.WeofferAges&StagesQuestionnaires(ASQs)onthe
alternating6months,sothatyouhaveformalreportingeveryquarteroftheyear.Wealsoofferanannual
ASQ‐SEwhichfocusesonsocial/emotionaldevelopmentofyourchild.Wearehappytosetupconferencesat
anytimeyouwouldseeaneed.Othertypesofcommunicationsincludedailysheets,nowofferedinallrooms,
monthlyclassroomsnewsletters,center‐widenewsletters,flyersincubbies,folders,andpostedonthe
entrywaywallsandclassroomdoors.Wewantyoutofeelcomfortablecommunicatingtousanythingyou’d
liketoshareaboutyourchild.
StepItUp‐TakingStepstoaHealthySuccess
After30hoursoftrainingsoverthepastyear,Googolshasmadeacommitmenttomakeand
encouragehealthychoicesforourchildrenandfamilies.Westartedfirstmakingchangestoourmenus.We
switchedfrom2%to1%milkforthepreschoolers,eliminatedjuice,andallpre‐friedfoods.Weintroduced
‘meat‐lessMondays’toexposechildrentomorelegumesandreduceevenmorefatfromthedietandwe
switchedtoallwholegrains.WecontinuedourparticipationintheHealthySproutsprogramfromlastyear
byplantingourschoolgardenandofferingoccasional‘tastetests’sochildrencantrydifferentvegetables.
Wehada‘CookingwithyourChild’eventforfamiliesandincreasedthenumberofcooking‐in‐the‐classroom
activitiestooneperweek.Wealsoheldahealthandwellnessinformationalnightforparentswherewe
discussedtheimportanceofmakinghealthyfoodanddrinkchoices,supportingbreastfeeding,reducing
screentimeforchildren,andincreasingactiveplay.We’vehadyogaintheclassroomandmoreorganized
activeplayoutsideontheplaygroundtoensurechildrenaregettingmoderatetovigorousexercisedaily.
And,ofcourse,wehaveourindoorclimbersochildrengetanopportunityforexerciseeveryday,regardless
ofweather.Wecontinuetoofferin‐housestafftrainingsonhealthandwellness.TheStepitUpformal
trainingsareover,butourcommitmenttohealthandwellnessforourchildrenisongoing.
RevisionDate:7/8/2015